Dong Yuyu, a former editor at the state-run Guangming Daily, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for alleged espionage, a verdict criticized for its opacity and lack of evidence. He was detained in 2022 while lunching with a Japanese diplomat, with his family and press freedom advocates labeling the trial politicized and unjust. The case has raised alarms regarding press freedom and the potential repercussions for journalists and diplomats engaging with China, highlighting the government's increasingly stringent approach towards perceived threats to national security. Dong's family and rights organizations are calling for his immediate release.